Roasted Corn Chowder with Shrimp

A few years ago a good friend of my was parting ways with a few cookbooks she never really looked at, and knowing me as she does, (I tend to hoard collect cookbooks of all kinds) she asked me if I would like any of them. Trying my best to hold myself at bay, I accepted a few of her offered books and among them was a book all about cooking from scratch with various herbs and spices.

One of the first recipes that caught my eye was a wonderful corn and shrimp chowder served over warm mashed potatoes. Although I love the idea of the mashed potatoes, I decided to modify the recipe so it is better suited to eat during the summer months. I did this by omitting the mashed potatoes and then using fresh kernels cut right from the cob and pan roasting them.

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil (Extra Virgin if you have it)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 cups of low sodium chicken broth

1 cup of homemade shellfish stock or an 8 oz bottle of clam juice

2 heaping tsp. of dill seed. NOT DILL WEED

5 ears worth of fresh cut kernels

one more T of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 lbs of medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed. If using large shrimp you can cut them in half.

3 T of fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large saucepan and then saute the onion and carrot over medium heat until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, shellfish stock and dill seeds, bring to a boil and then lower the heat, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime heat another T of olive oil on low heat in a large frying pan, add the kernals and season with salt and pepper. Cook corn while stirring, for about 5 -7 minutes or until the kernels turn a golden brown. Watch the pan doesn't get too hot or you may find yourself ducking from hot popping corn

Add all but about 4 T of the roasted corn to the broth mixture and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Allow mixture cool somewhat and then add all but about 2 cups of the liquid to a food processor or blender and puree in batches until smooth. (Be careful if you are using a blender and the liquid is still hot. Only fill 1/3 of the way to avoid the hot liquid spitting out of the top.) 

Add all of the mixture back to the saucepan. Add the shrimp plus 2 T of the parsley and simmer until shrimp are no longer pink...about 2 1/2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remainder of the roasted corn and parsley. 

Serve with a crusty bread and enjoy it with a nice cold glass of German Riesling. 

Sharing this pot over at these super blog parties...
StoneGable
Lamberts Lately
Be Colorful
Savvy Southern Style
Elizabeth & Co.

ROASTED CORN CHOWDER WITH SHRIMP

A Refreshing Basil Cucumber Mint Soda

Last year I fell in love with this combination of flavors in the form of a cucumber martini, and this year, well it is as a fizzy drink!

This is a naturally refreshing drink with far less calories then a regular soda. I'm talking maybe 60 itsy bitsy little calories per one 12 oz drink. The idea here is that you make your own simple syrup and then add the basil, cucumber and the mint to the melted sugar and let it steep for about 30 minutes. This infuses all of these fabulous flavors into the sugar.

Here's what you will need...

1/2 large cucumber sliced thin

12 fresh mint leaves

6 fresh bail leaves

about 3 cups club soda or seltzer

...and this simple syrup recipe.

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c water

Heat both the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves. 

Here is what you need to do...

Remove syrup from the heat and then add cucumber, basil and mint and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain the simple syrup into a jar, pressing the solids in strainer. Fill six 12 oz glasses with ice. Add 2 T. of the simple syrup and then add the soda water.

Garnish with cucumber and mint.

And then sit back in your chair by the pool and enjoy this cool and refreshing beverage!!!

REFRESHING BASIL CUCUMBER MINT SODA